Attenuated reovirus

ABSTRACT

Compositions and methods are provided that relate to an attenuated reovirus exhibiting oncolytic activity toward cancer cells while displaying reduced lytic activity toward non-malignant cells. Exemplified is an attenuated human reovirus derived from persistently infected fibrosarcoma cells that lacks wild-type reovirus S1 and S4 genes and consequently lacks a detectable reoviral outer capsid σ1 protein and expresses a mutated reoviral outer capsid σ3 protein.

This application is a national phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/IB2006/004149, filed Jul. 31, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/704,604, filed Aug. 1, 2005. These applications are incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the use of viruses as biological therapeutics for treating diseases, disorders or conditions associated with cellular proliferation, and in particular, for treating malignant conditions such as cancer. More specifically, invention embodiments as disclosed herein relate to novel oncolytic attenuated reoviruses.

II. Description of the Related Art

Cancer includes a broad range of diseases characterized by the presence of inappropriate or unregulated cellular proliferation in a variety of cells and tissues. Worldwide, approximately one in four humans is afflicted with one of the various forms that cancer may take, and reliable therapeutic strategies remain a major clinical challenge for most cancer types. Current approaches include surgical excision of cancerous tissues containing malignant tumors, and radiological, chemotherapeutic or immunotherapeutic ablation of neoplastic or malignant cells. Each of these approaches provides less than ideal efficacy, with shortcomings that include incomplete removal of cancer cells and/or undesired damage or toxicity to normal, healthy tissues and/or inadequate delivery of the anti-cancer agent to the malignantly transformed target cells.

Oncolytic properties of reoviruses have been recognized in the past (Bennette et al., 1967), and more recently, naturally occurring human reoviruses have received attention as candidate therapeutic agents for certain types of cancer (Chiocca, 2002; Everts et al., 2005). Specifically, certain human reoviruses exhibit oncolytic activity, or the ability to preferentially and productively infect, and induce lysis of, cancer cells in which one or more of various altered oncogenic pathways are present. In one example, naturally occurring reoviruses are oncolytic when contacted with activated Ras oncogene-dependent tumor cells. Such oncolysis of activated oncogene-associated cancer cells proceeds through a mechanism that involves Ras pathway-mediated impairment of phosphorylation of double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR), which is consequently unable to phosphorylate the translation initiation factor eIF-2α, thereby creating permissive conditions for translation of reoviral gene transcripts. (Coffey et al., 1998; Chiocca, 2002; see also U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,555; U.S. Pat. Pub. US 2005/0063954). Reoviruses also exhibit oncolytic potential in myc-overexpressing lymphoid malignancies (Alain et al., 2002).

The reoviruses (Reoviridae) comprise a family of naturally occurring, non-enveloped viruses having a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) genome that is divided into ten segments and enclosed by two concentric icosahedral protein capsids. Infectious mammalian reovirus virions of various tropisms occur as particles of approximately 85 nm in diameter. The virion outer capsid includes several distinct protein species, among them sigma-1 (σ1, 50 kDa) which mediates viral attachment to host cell surfaces (Lee et al., 1981; Duncan et al., 1991; Nagata et al., 1987; Turner et al., 1992) via discrete carbohydrate-binding (Chappell et al., 1997; Chappell et al., 2000; Connolly et al., 2001) and virion-anchoring (Mah et al., 1990; Fernandes et al., 1994; Lee et al., 1994) domains. (σ1 is a product of the bicistronic reoviral S1 gene, which also encodes a non-structural protein designated σ1s using a distinct but overlapping reading frame (Ernst et al, 1985; Jacobs et al., 1985; Sarkar et al., 1985). Reoviral particles that lack (δ1 have been reported to be non-infectious (Larson et al., 1994). The reoviral S1 gene is believed to play a significant role in determining reoviral pathogenesis (Haller et al., 1995; Wilson et al., 1994; Kaye et al., 1986; Weiner et al., 1980).

The other major reovirus outer capsid proteins, σ3 (encoded by the reoviral S4 gene, e.g., Ahmed et al., 1982; Giantini et al., 1984) and 111 (encoded by the reoviral M2 gene, e.g., Wiener et al., 1988; Hooper et al., 1996), are present along with σ1 in intact reovirus virions, but following exposure of the virion to certain proteolytic conditions an altered structure known as an intermediate or infectious subvirion particle (ISVP) results, in which σ1 persists but σ3 is lost and two defined μ1 cleavage products remain (Dryden et al., 1993; Jane-Valbuena et al., 1999; Chandran et al., 1999; Chandran et al., 2001). ISVPs may thus result from exposure of intact reovirus virions to proteolytic environments such as those found intracellularly within late endosomes or lysosomes following reoviral host cell infection (via cell surface binding and internalization), or as may be encountered via a natural enteric route, or by artificial means. Following ISVP penetration of the endosomal (or lysosomal) membrane to gain access to the infected host cell's cytoplasm, σ1 and μ1 proteins are lost to yield a reovirus-derived particle known as a core particle, which is capable of transcribing its viral mRNA contents but which, unlike virions and ISVPs, is no longer infectious.

Initially identified as an apparently innocuous infectious pathogen in the human respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, the human reovirus has long been recognized for its striking cytocidal activity upon infection of certain types of transformed cells (Duncan et al., 1978; Hashiro et al., 1977). More recently, the relationship between tumor cells containing an activated Ras oncogene and susceptibility of such cells to reoviral oncolysis has been established (Coffey et al., 1998; Strong et al., 1998). Subsequent demonstration of a reovirus role in inducing cancer cell apoptosis suggested at least one mechanism by which reoviral oncolysis proceeds (Clarke et al., 2001), and considerable efforts have been undertaken to develop cancer therapeutics using naturally occurring reoviruses (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,565,831; 6,811,775; 6,455,038; 6,808,916; 6,528,305; 6,703,232; 6,136,307; 6,344,195; 6,110,461; 6,261,555; 6,576,234; U.S. Patent Pub. Nos. US2005/0063954; US2005/0026289; US2004/0146491; US2002/0168344; US2004/0126869; US2004/0265271; US2005/0019308).

However, despite reoviral tropism for, and lysis of, Ras-activated tumor cells, efforts to use reoviruses as therapeutic oncolytic agents have been hampered by a number of factors, including (i) as a dsRNA virus having a segmented genome, reovirus is not readily amenable to refinements by genetic engineering (Russell, 2002; Brown et al, 2001); (ii) among transformed cells, reovirus is believed to productively infect only those cells having an activated ras pathway, which accounts for about 30% of human cancers; (iii) many in vivo protocols for reoviral oncolysis employ immunosuppressed or immunocompromised hosts and as such fail to consider the effects of anti-reoviral immune responses or of a generally immunosuppressed state (Everts et al., 2005); (iv) reoviral tropism is not strictly limited to cancer cells and naturally occurring reoviruses may not be clinically innocuous, with animal models revealing reoviral infection of cardiac myocytes and endothelial cells (Loken et al., 2004) and reoviral induction of undesirable phenomena such as hemorrhage, fibrosis, hepatitis, lymphoma, pancreatitis, necrotizing encephalitis and myocarditis (Loken et al., 2004, and references 23-27 therein); and (v) as with other oncolytic regimes, oncolytic reoviral treatments may also compromise the integrity of the host stem cell compartment. Wild-type reovirus is known, for instance, to adversely affect development of rat and murine embryos, retarding development and inhibiting blastocytst formation (Priscott, 1983; Heggie et al., 1979).

Clearly there is a need in the art for improved reovirus compositions and methods that more selectively and efficiently mediate oncolysis. The present invention addresses such needs and provides other related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to certain embodiments of the invention, there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a reovirus genome that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene. In a further embodiment, the attenuated reovirus is derived from a human reovirus, and in a distinct further embodiment the human reovirus is selected from human reovirus Type 1, human reovirus Type 2 and human reovirus Type 3. In a further embodiment, the human reovirus is selected from human reovirus Type 1 strain Lang, human reovirus Type 2 strain Jones, human reovirus Type 3 strain Dearing and human reovirus Type 3 strain Abney.

In another embodiment, there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a reovirus genome that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene, wherein the attenuated reovirus is derived from a host cell culture that has been persistently infected with a reovirus. In a further embodiment, the attenuated reovirus is derived from a human reovirus, and in a further embodiment the human reovirus is selected from human reovirus Type 1, human reovirus Type 2 and human reovirus Type 3. In a still further embodiment, the human reovirus is selected from human reovirus Type 1 strain Lang, human reovirus Type 2 strain Jones, human reovirus Type 3 strain Dearing and human reovirus Type 3 strain Abney. In one further embodiment of the above described attenuated reovirus, the host cell is a mammalian host cell. In another embodiment, the mammalian host cell is a human host cell.

In another embodiment, there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a reovirus genome that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene, wherein said wild-type reovirus S1 gene comprises a polynucleotide sequence that is at least 90% identical to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO:1 (T1L, M35963), SEQ ID NO:3 (T2J, M35964), SEQ ID NO:5 (T3D, X01161) and SEQ ID NO:7 (T3A, L37677). In another embodiment, there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a reovirus genome that lacks a reovirus S1 gene which is capable of encoding a reovirus σ1 capsid protein having an amino acid sequence selected from (i) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 10% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6 or 8, (ii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 20% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (iii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 40% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (iv) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 50% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (v) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 70% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (vi) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 90% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, and (vii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 95% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8.

In another embodiment, there is provided an attenuated reovirus comprising a mutated reovirus S1 gene that is incapable of encoding a reovirus σ1 capsid protein having an amino acid sequence selected from (i) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 10% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (ii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 20% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (iii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 40% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (iv) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 50% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (v) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 70% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (vi) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 90% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, and (vii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 95% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8.

In another embodiment, there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a replication-competent reovirus virion that comprises a heritable mutant reovirus S1 gene, wherein said mutant reovirus S1 gene comprises one or a plurality of mutations in a polynucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5 or 7, and wherein the mutant reovirus gene is incapable of encoding at least one reovirus σ1 capsid protein that comprises an amino acid sequence selected from (i) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 10% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (ii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 20% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (iii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 40% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (iv) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 50% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (v) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 70% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (vi) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 90% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, and (vii) an amino acid sequence that is greater than 95% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8. In certain further embodiments, the one or a plurality of mutations comprises at least one mutation selected from a nucleotide substitution, a nucleotide deletion and a nucleotide insertion.

In another embodiment, there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a replication-competent reovirus virion that lacks a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein. In another embodiment, there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a replication-competent reovirus virion that lacks a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein having a polypeptide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8. In another embodiment, there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a replication-competent reovirus virion that lacks a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein having a polypeptide sequence that is selected from (i) a polypeptide sequence that is at least 50% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, and (ii) a polypeptide sequence that is at least 20% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8. In certain further embodiments, the above described attenuated reovirus lacks a wild-type reovirus S4 gene.

Certain embodiments of the invention provide an attenuated reovirus, comprising a replication-competent reovirus virion that lacks a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein having a polypeptide sequence that is at least 10% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8. Certain further embodiments of the above described attenuated reovirus provide such an attenuated reovirus that exhibits a decreased level of at least one detectable cytopathic effect toward a non-malignant cell relative to the level of the detectable cytopathic effect that is exhibited toward the non-malignant cell by a non-attenuated reovirus. In certain further embodiments, the non-malignant cell is selected from (i) a differentiated normal cell that comprises at least one of a cardiac myocyte, a pancreatic cell and an endothelial cell, and (ii) an undifferentiated stem cell that comprises at least one of an embryonic stem cell and a neural stem/progenitor cell. In certain other further embodiments, the detectable cytopathic effect comprises at least one detectable cytopathic effect that is selected from apoptosis, necrosis, cytolytic viral replication, altered cell morphology, altered cell adhesion, altered cellular gene expression, altered cellular replication, and altered cellular metabolic activity.

Turning to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of treating an activated oncogene-associated malignant condition, comprising administering an effective amount of an attenuated reovirus to a subject having an activated oncogene-associated malignant condition, under conditions and for a time sufficient for the attenuated reovirus to mediate an oncolytic effect. In a further embodiment, the attenuated reovirus comprises at least one attenuated reovirus as described above.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of treating an activated oncogene-associated malignant condition, comprising contacting one or a plurality of malignant cells from a subject having an activated oncogene-associated malignant condition with an effective amount of an attenuated reovirus, under conditions and for a time sufficient for the attenuated reovirus to mediate an oncolytic effect. In related further embodiments, the attenuated reovirus comprises an attenuated reovirus as described above. In related embodiments, the attenuated reovirus comprises a reovirus that is selected from (a) a reovirus that lacks a reovirus σ1 capsid protein, (b) a reovirus that lacks a reovirus σ1 capsid protein having a polypeptide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6 or 8, (c) a reovirus that lacks a reovirus σ1 capsid protein having a polypeptide sequence that is at least 50% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (d) a reovirus that lacks a reovirus σ1 capsid protein having a polypeptide sequence that is at least 20% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (e) a reovirus that lacks a reovirus σ1 capsid protein having a polypeptide sequence that is at least 10% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, (f) a reovirus genome that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene, (g) a reovirus genome that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene, wherein said gene comprises a polynucleotide sequence that is at least 90% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5 or 7, (h) a reovirus genome that lacks a reovirus S1 gene which is capable of encoding a reovirus σ1 capsid protein having an amino acid sequence that is greater than 10% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8, and (i) a reovirus comprising a mutated reovirus S1 gene that is incapable of encoding a reovirus σ1 capsid protein having an amino acid sequence that is greater than 10% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 or 8.

In certain related further embodiments, the attenuated reovirus exhibits a decreased level of at least one detectable cytopathic effect toward a non-malignant cell relative to the level of the detectable cytopathic effect that is exhibited toward the non-malignant cell by a non-attenuated reovirus. In certain other related embodiments, there is provided a method which comprises administering, simultaneously or sequentially and in any order, at least one of (i) an anti-cancer drug that comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of a chemotherapeutic agent, an antibody, a cytokine, a hormone, and an apoptogen, and (ii) radiation therapy. In certain other related embodiments, at least one activated oncogene in the activated oncogene-associated malignant condition comprises an activated ras oncogene. In certain other related embodiments, at least one activated oncogene in the activated oncogene-associated malignant condition comprises an activated oncogene selected from abl, akt, cbl, ets, mos, Bcl-2, crk, fos, fins, HER, hTERT, jun, kit, myb, myc, raf, rel, sos, src, and yes. In certain other related embodiments, the subject is immunosuppressed.

In certain other related embodiments to the above described invention embodiments, the attenuated reovirus is selected from (a) a reovirus that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene, (b) a reovirus that lacks a wild-type reovirus S4 gene, (c) a reovirus that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene and that lacks a wild-type reovirus S4 gene, (d) a reovirus that comprises a heritable mutant reovirus S1 gene, (e) a reovirus that comprises a heritable mutant reovirus S4 gene, and (f) a reovirus that comprises a heritable mutant reovirus S1 gene and a heritable mutant reovirus S4 gene. In certain related embodiments, reovirus S1 and/or S4 genes comprise nucleotide sequences as set forth in the Examples and Drawings, or portions thereof and/or complements thereto.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description. To this end, various references are set forth herein which describe in more detail certain background information, procedures, compounds and/or compositions, and are each hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-B show properties of persistently infected reovirus resistant cells. (FIG. 1A) HT1080 and HTR1 Cells grown to 70% confluency were either mock-infected or infected with reovirus (MOI=40 PFUs per cell). At 48 hrs post-infection, cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Viability is expressed as the percentage of surviving cells relative to the control uninfected cells. (FIG. 1B) HT1080 and HTR1 cells grown to 70% confluency were either mock-infected or infected with reovirus (MOI=40 PFUs per cell). At 48 hrs post-infection, cell lysates were prepared and analyzed by western blotting using anti-reovirus antibody. First lane is loaded with reovirus viron lysates showing reovirus structural proteins.

FIG. 2 shows impaired reovirus replication in selected reovirus-resistant cells with reduced cellular cathepsin B activity by flow cytometric analysis of HT1080 and HTR1 cells. HT1080 and HTR1 cells were either mock-infected (Reo −) or infected with reovirus (MOI=40 PFUs per cell) (Reo +), then, 48 hrs post-infection, cells were fixed, permeabilized and incubated with FITC conjugated anti-reovirus antibody. Reovirus antigens are detected by FACS scan.

FIGS. 3A-B show analysis of HTR1 cells for Ras mutation and Ras activity. (FIG. 3A) Sequence analysis of N-ras surrounding codon 61 in HT1080 and HTR1 genome. Genomic DNAs were extracted and the N-ras region surrounding codon 61 was amplified and sequenced. (FIG. 3B) Ras activity assay for Hs68 (primary foreskin fibroblast), HT1080 and HTR1 cells. Cells were either serum starved or serum stimulated, then cell lysates were prepared and probed with the active form (GTP bound) of Ras protein. The primary cells (Hs68) demonstrated Ras activation upon serum stimulation, whereas HT1080 and HTR1 cells showed high Ras activation in a serum independent manner.

FIGS. 4A-C show differential cytopathic/apoptotic activity of attenuated reovirus. (FIG. 4A) MTT assay (left panel): HT1080 and 293 cells grown to 70% confluency were either infected with wild-type reovirus or infected with adapted reovirus (MOI=10 PFUs per cell). At 30 hrs post-infection, cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Viability is expressed as the percentage of surviving cells relative to the control uninfected cells. Apoptotic nucleosome detection assay (right panel): Apoptotic nucleosomes in lyastes prepared from cells infected as described above were detected by ELISA. Samples were assayed in triplicate. Error bars indicate standard deviations. (FIG. 4B) HT1080 and L929 cells grown to 70% confluency were either mock-infected or infected with adapted reovirus (MOI=10 PFUs per cell). At 48 hrs post-infection, cells were microphotographed. The bar represents 50 μm. (FIG. 4C) Cell lysates were also prepared at indicated time points following the AV virus infection and examined by western blot analysis using anti-reovirus antibody.

FIGS. 5A-F show that HTR1 cells were resistant to reovirus-induced apoptosis but susceptible to apoptotic inducers and adenovirus infection. (FIG. 5A) HT1080 and HTR1 cells were either mock-infected or infected with reovirus (MOI=40 PFUs per cell). At 24 hrs post-infection, cells were analyzed by flow cytometric analysis to detect DNA fragmentation and PS (phosphatidyl serine) externalization. (FIG. 5B) Cell lysates from virus infected HeLa, HT1080, and HTR1 cells were prepared at indicated time points (hrs) following reovirus infection and examined by western blot analysis using antibodies against caspase 3, PARP and XIAP. (FIG. 5C) HT1080 and HTR1 cells grown to 70% confluency were subjected to treatment with either camptothecin (2 μM) or Fas ligand (100 ng/ml) and microphotographs were taken at 24 hrs post-treatment. The bar represents 50 m. (FIG. 5D) HT1080, HTR1 and Cured cells were subjected to camptothecin treatment at various concentrations, then cell lysates were prepared and examined by western blot analysis using anti-PARP antibody. (FIG. 5E) HT1080, HTR1 and Cured cells grown to 70% confluency were subjected to adenoviruses challenge (human adenovirus type5 and its variant (E1B deleted adenovirus type5): MOI=20 PFU per cell). Microphotographs were taken at 48 hrs post-infection. The bar represents 50 μm. (FIG. 5F) Cells subjected to the adeonviral infection were labeled with [³⁵S] methionine and viral protein synthesis was monitored by incorporation of [³⁵S] methionine from 24 to 48 hrs post-infection. The adenoviral structural proteins are shown in the blot. Mock: mock infection, Wt Ad: wild-type adenovirus type 5 infection, E1B-Ad: E1B deleted adenovirus infection.

FIGS. 6A-B show in vitro curing of HTR1 cells. (FIG. 6A) HT1080 cells, reovirus-infected HT1080 cells, HTR1 and Cured cells (generated by growth in the presence of reovirus antibody for 3 weeks in the HTR1 culture) were fixed, permeabilized and incubated with FITC conjugated anti-reovirus antibody. Reoviral antigens were detected by FACS scan. (FIG. 6B) Reovirus s1 mRNA levels of HT1080, reovirus-infected HT1080, HTR1 and Cured cells were examined by RT-PCR analysis. Total RNAs for the cells were extracted. Equal amounts of RNA from each sample were then subjected to RT-PCR, followed by selective amplification of reovirus s1 cDNA and the constitutively expressed GAPDH, which served as a PCR and gel loading control. The PCR products were separated on a 2% agarose gel and visualized with ethidium bromide under UV light.

FIGS. 7A-B show tumorigenicity in vivo of HT1080, HTR1 and Cured cells. (FIG. 7A) Representative SCID mice bearing tumors were photographed at 5 weeks post xenograft implantation of HT1080, HTR1, Cured, or a mixture of HTR1 and Cured cells subcutaneously at the hind flank of the mice (each group; n=5). H&E staining of injected sites shows highly proliferating tumor cells in HT1080- and Cured cells-injected group of mice, but not in the HTR1-injected and co-injected group. The bar represents 100 μm. (FIG. 7B) Tumor volumes of the SCID mice were monitored by measuring the sizes of the tumors using an engineering caliper. Both the HTR1-injected and the (HTR1+Cured) co-injected groups of mice had no tumors but had blacktails at 3-7 months post injection, possibly due to AV virus-mediated disease in SCID mice (Loken et al., 2004).

FIGS. 8A-B show reovirus Type 3 S1 gene sequences. (FIG. 8A) Type 3 (Dearing strain) wild-type S1 encoding nucleotide sequence for S1 (SEQ ID NO:9, Genbank Accession number X01161) aligned with a laboratory variant S1 encoding sequence (SEQ ID NO:10) and also aligned with a mutated S1 nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:11, Genbank Accession number AY860061) containing a premature stop codon. (FIG. 8B) Deduced translation of mutated S1 nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:12, Genbank Accession number AY860061) showing multiple in-frame stop codons.

FIG. 9 shows a comparison of cytopathogenicity in murine embryonic stem cells induced by wild-type reovirus and by an attenuated reovirus.

FIGS. 10A-B show a comparison of reoviral oncolysis and morbidity induced by wild-type reovirus and by an attenuated reovirus in an HT1080 human fibrosarcoma xenograft model. (FIG. 10A) Time-course of tumor volume measurements; (FIG. 10B) histology and immunohistology.

FIGS. 11A-B show a comparison of reoviral oncolysis and morbidity induced by wild-type reovirus and by an attenuated reovirus in an HCT116 human colon carcinoma xenograft model. (FIG. 11A) Time-course of tumor volume measurements; (FIG. 11B) histology and immunohistology.

FIG. 12 shows reovirus Type 3 S4 gene sequences. Type 3 (Dearing strain) wild-type S4 encoding nucleotide sequence for S1 (SEQ ID NO:13, Genbank Accession number K02739) aligned with a laboratory variant S4 encoding sequence (SEQ ID NO: 14) and also aligned with a mutated S4 nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:15) from an attenuated reovirus (AV).

FIG. 13 shows comparison of detectable polypeptides from wild-type and attenuated reovirus. HT1080 and AV-expressing HTR1 cells grown to 70% confluency were either mock-infected or infected with reovirus (MOI=40 PFUs per cell). At each time point (hrs) following viral infection, cell lysates were prepared and examined by western blotting using anti-reovirus antibody (left panel). Then, the membrane was stripped and reblotted with anti-sigma1 antibody (right panel). In the attenuated reovirus (AV) expression of Sigma3 and other viral genes was not impaired (left panel), whereas Sigma1 expression by AV was significantly inhibited compared to the wild-type (WT) reovirus infected HT1080 cells (right panel).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in certain embodiments, to an attenuated reovirus having desirable properties for use as an oncolytic agent, thereby providing unexpected advantages over naturally occurring wild-type reoviruses. The attenuated reovirus disclosed herein comprises an infectious, replication-competent reovirus virion that lacks a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein by virtue of the genome of such reovirus lacking a wild-type reovirus S1 gene. As such, the attenuated reovirus derives from the surprising observation that a mutated reovirus which lacks a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein unexpectedly retains the ability to productively infect a target tumor cell while desirably avoiding cytopathic effects on non-malignant cells. As noted above, prior to the instant disclosure, reoviral particles that lacked σ1 had been understood to be non-infectious (Larson et al., 1994). Additionally and in certain embodiments as described herein, a presently disclosed attenuated reovirus may comprise a mutated reoviral S4 gene. The reovirus wild-type S4 gene encodes a reovirus capsid σ3 polypeptide involved in virion processing during reoviral replicative infection of a host cell (e.g., Ahmed et al, 1982; Giantini et al, 1984). As disclosed herein, according to certain embodiments an attenuated reovirus may comprise a mutated reovirus S4 gene that comprises one or a plurality of mutations in a reoviral σ3 polypeptide-encoding genomic sequence, relative to a wild-type S4 gene sequence.

The herein described attenuated reovirus lacks a detectable σ1 capsid protein yet is, unexpectedly, infectious. As noted above, σ1 has been implicated in reoviral binding and attachment to cells via cell surface sialic acid residues in an initial step of viral replicative infection (Lee et al., 1981; Duncan et al, 1991; Nagata et al., 1987; Turner et al, 1992; Chappell et al., 1997; Chappell et al., 2000; Connolly et al, 2001). Despite lacking detectable σ1, the attenuated reovirus described herein is capable of host cell entry and cytolytic viral replication. Additionally, the attenuated reovirus exhibits the surprising property of inducing a decreased (i.e., reduced with statistical significance) level of one or more cytopathic effects toward a non-malignant cell relative to the level of the cytopathic effect that is exhibited toward the non-malignant cell by a naturally occurring, non-attenuated reovirus. Accordingly and as described in greater detail below, the attenuated reovirus provided herein offers improvements over reoviruses of the prior art, including suitability for use as an oncolytic agent without undesirable side-effects such as tropism for, and cytolysis of, normal (e.g., non-malignant) cells.

According to certain embodiments as disclosed herein, the attenuated reovirus may be derived from any reovirus, which refers to a member of the Family Reoviridae and includes reoviruses having a variety of tropisms and which may be obtained from a variety of sources. (Tyler and Fields, 1996) In certain embodiments mammalian reoviruses are preferred, and in certain further embodiments human reoviruses are particularly preferred as the starting point for the derivation of an attenuated reovirus as described herein, although the invention is not intended to be so limited, and based on the present disclosure the skilled artisan will recognize situations where any particular reovirus may be desirable for such purposes. In certain particularly preferred embodiments, the attenuated reovirus may be derived from human reoviruses, for example, human Type 3 (Dearing), Type 1 (Lang), Type 2 (Jones), or Type 3 (Abney) reoviruses, while in certain other embodiments (e.g., for use in animal models having relevance to human diseases, or for veterinary applications) the attenuated reovirus may be derived from one or more reoviruses displaying tropisms toward cells of other mammalian species, including non-human primates (e.g., chimpanzee, gorilla, macaque, monkey, etc.), rodents (e.g., mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.), dogs, cats, common livestock (e.g., bovine, equine, porcine, caprine), etc., or alternatively, reoviruses having distinct tropisms (e.g., avian reoviruses) may be used.

As described herein, certain embodiments relate to attenuated reoviruses that are recovered following persistent infection regimens in vitro, but attenuated reoviruses are also contemplated that may be derived according to other methodologies, including generation and identification of σ1-deficient and/or σ1-defective mutants (and in certain embodiments also including, additionally or alternatively, generation and identification of σ3-deficient and/or σ3-defective mutants) by molecular biological approaches, and also including isolation of naturally occurring σ1-deficient and/or σ1-defective mutants and/or σ3 mutants, and/or artificial induction of such σ1 (and/or σ3) mutants by chemical, physical and/or genetic techniques (e.g., assortative recombination of reoviral genes in a productively infected host cell).

The attenuated reovirus disclosed herein comprises an infectious, replication-competent reovirus virion (i.e., virus particle including viral genome, core proteins and protein coat) that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene and consequently lacks a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein. In certain embodiments the attenuated reovirus lacks a wild-type reovirus S4 gene and expresses a mutated reovirus σ3 capsid protein. As is known in the relevant art, an infectious, replication-competent reovirus is one that is capable, upon introduction to a suitable host cell under appropriate conditions and for a sufficient time, of binding to and being internalized by the host cell and thence directing replication of the reoviral genome and biosynthesis of reoviral structural proteins in a manner that permits assembly of complete progeny reoviruses that, upon release from the host cell, are capable of productively infecting other host cells to perpetuate the viral replication cycle.

The presence of a malignant condition in a subject refers to the presence of dysplastic, inappropriately proliferating, cancerous and/or transformed cells in the subject, including, for example neoplastic, tumor, non-contact inhibited or oncogenically transformed cells, or the like (e.g., melanoma, carcinomas such as adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, oat cell carcinoma, etc., sarcomas such as fibrosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, etc., hepatoma, neuroblastoma, melanoma, hematopoietic malignancies such as lymphoma, leukemia, myeloma, etc.); which are known to the art and for which criteria for diagnosis and classification are established. Oncolytic properties of reoviruses may derive from viral tropism for malignantly transformed cells in concert with a susceptible intracellular environment, for example, impaired PKR phosphorylation in Ras-activated cells as described above.

The presently described attenuated reoviruses are contemplated for use in a wide range of activated oncogene-associated malignant conditions, i.e., malignant conditions in which a mutation or other structural or functional alteration to an oncogene or an oncogene product renders the oncogene constitutively active with deleterious consequences (e.g., unregulated cell growth), including malignancies wherein the activated oncogene is Ras or an upstream or downstream component of the Ras pathway, and also including other oncogene-associated malignant conditions, for example, wherein the activated oncogene may be at least one of abl, akt, cbl, ets, mos, Bcl-2, crk, fos, fins, HER2, hTERT, jun, kit, myb, myc, raf, rel, sos, src, and yes. (For a review of viral oncogenes see Bishop, 1985; Vogelstein et al., 2004)

For instance, resistance to reoviral oncolysis has been observed by the present inventors in human cancer cells having an activated Ras gene and intact PKR phosphorylation, suggesting that reoviral oncolysis is not exclusively dependent on the Ras-status of cancer cells. Accordingly, certain embodiments relate to attenuated reoviruses that may be used in methods of treating an activated oncogene-associated malignant condition, which methods comprise administering an effective amount of an attenuated reovirus as described herein to a subject having such a malignant condition, under conditions and for a time sufficient for the attenuated reovirus to mediate an oncolytic effect.

Oncolytic activity of the attenuated reovirus described herein need not, however, be limited to activity directed against malignant conditions associated with a known oncogene. Without wishing to be bound by theory, attenuated reovirus oncolytic activity may proceed, for example, via host cell mechanisms of innate immunity (e.g., Martinon, 2005; Philpott et al, 2004) and/or via host cell mechanisms of intrinsic immunity (e.g., Bieniasz, 2004). Additionally according to non-limiting theory, a number of other genes and/or gene products that are not typically regarded as oncogenes or oncogene products per se have been implicated in tumorigenesis or in mechanisms underlying predisposition to cancer (Vogelstein et al., 2004; Futreal et al., 2004), such that certain invention embodiments disclosed herein contemplate attenuated reoviruses having oncolytic activity toward malignancies associated with mutations in oncogenes and/or in non-oncogenes, for instance, tumor-suppressor genes and stability genes. Determination of the suitability of the presently disclosed attenuated reoviruses for oncolytic application to a particular malignant condition may include may be achieved using in vitro or in vivo methodologies such as those described herein or known to the art, for example by obtaining a biological sample comprising tumor cells (e.g., Monks et al., 1991) and administering thereto the attenuated reovirus under conditions and for a time sufficient to detect an oncolytic effect.

“Attenuated” reoviruses described herein include reoviruses that exhibit altered (i.e., increased or decreased in a statistically significant manner) infective, replicative and/or lytic properties toward or in a host cell, relative to levels of one or more such properties that are exhibited by known, naturally occurring or wild-type reoviruses. In many preferred embodiments the attenuated reovirus will exhibit decreased infectivity, replicative ability and/or lytic potential, relative to a wild-type reovirus. Examples of such altered properties by which one may discern an attenuated reovirus as presently disclosed include various manifestations of viral cytopathic effects, for instance, the multiplicity of infection (MOI, the average number of virions that infect each cell) required for productive infection of a given host cell, the degree of host cell cytolysis induced by viral infection (further including apoptosis and/or necrosis), the titer of viruses released from a productively infected host cell following cytolytic viral replication, and other parameters by which those familiar with the art can determine viral activities toward host cells. Other indicia of cytopathic effects include altered host cell morphology, altered cell adhesion (to substrates such as extracellular matrix proteins or semisolid growth media, or to other cells), altered expression levels of one or more cellular genes, altered ability of host cells to replicate, and/or other alterations in cellular metabolic activity.

I. REOVIRUS NUCLEIC ACID AND PROTEIN SEQUENCES

As noted above, an attenuated reovirus as disclosed herein may comprise a replication-competent reovirus virion that lacks a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein, for example, by lacking a wild-type reoviral S1 gene. As also noted above, the reoviral S1 gene is bicistronic and encodes two products using distinct but overlapping reading frames, one of which is the outer capsid protein al. Among the three major reoviral serotypes, σ1 proteins exhibit a lower degree of amino acid sequence conservation than do other reoviral proteins, despite the fact that the σ1 proteins retain certain conserved structural and functional features (reviewed in Lee et al. (1994) and references cited therein; see also, e.g., Dermody et al. (1990)). Attenuated reoviruses are contemplated that may be genetically homogeneous or that may comprise a genetically heterogeneous reoviral population, such as may be the result of mutation and/or of assortative recombination within an infected host cell among reoviral genome segments derived from two or more distinct polymorphic reoviral strains with which the cell has been infected. Attenuated reoviruses described herein comprise a heritable mutant reovirus S1 gene, and as such the invention expressly does not include wild-type reovirus particles that comprise a wild-type S1 gene, even where such particles result from subjecting a wild-type reovirus to proteolytic conditions or otherwise artificially stripping a wild-type reovirus of σ1 capsid protein (e.g., Chandran et al., 1999; Chandran et al., 2001).

A reoviral gene refers to the segment of reoviral genomic RNA involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it includes the coding region for the polypeptide product (e.g., exon) as well as regions preceding and following the coding region “leader and trailer” segments. Wild-type S1 gene sequences include the S1 gene sequences identified in predominant forms of naturally occurring reoviruses isolated from respiratory or enteric tissues of infected subjects, or consensus sequences derived from such sequences. S1 gene sequences for a number of reoviruses, including the human reoviruses, have been determined (e.g., Genbank Accession numbers for human reovirus S1 gene sequences: human type 3 reovirus S1: X01161; human type 2 reovirus S1: M35964; human type 1 reovirus S1: M35963), including polynucleotide sequences encoding σ1 proteins as well as the amino acid sequences of the encoded σ1 proteins themselves. (e.g., Genbank Accession numbers for major human reovirus serotype S1 gene sequences: human type 1 reovirus strain Lang (T1L) Acc. No. M35963, SEQ ID NOS:1 (nucleotide, nt) and 2 (amino acid, aa); human type 2 reovirus strain Jones (T2J) Acc. No. M35964, SEQ ID NOS:3 (nt) and 4 (aa); human type 3 reovirus strain Dearing (T3D) Acc. No. X01161, SEQ ID NOS:5 (nt) and 6 (aa); human type 3 reovirus strain Abney (T3A) Acc. No. L37677, SEQ ID NOS:7 (nt) and 8 (aa)). Reoviral S1 and S4 gene sequences as disclosed herein are contemplated according to certain embodiments described herein, including sequences set forth in the Examples and Drawings.

Nucleic acids according to certain embodiments of the present invention, also referred to herein as polynucleotides, may be in the form of RNA including double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as is found in reoviral genomes, or single-stranded RNA (ssRNA), or may in certain embodiments be in the form of DNA, which DNA includes cDNA, genomic DNA, and synthetic DNA. The RNA or DNA may be double-stranded or single-stranded, and if single stranded may be the coding strand or non-coding (anti-sense) strand. A coding sequence which encodes a σ1 polypeptide for use according to certain embodiments of the invention may be identical to a coding sequence known in the art for any given reovirus σ1, or may be a different coding sequence, which, as a result of the redundancy or degeneracy of the genetic code, encodes the same σ1 polypeptide.

Nucleic acids which encode σ1 polypeptides according to certain invention embodiments may therefore include, but are not limited to: only the coding sequence for the σ1 polypeptide; the coding sequence for the σ1 polypeptide and additional coding sequence; the coding sequence for the σ1 polypeptide (and optionally additional coding sequence) and non-coding sequence, such as non-coding sequences 5′ and/or 3′ of the coding sequence for the σ1 polypeptide, which for example may further include but need not be limited to one or more regulatory nucleic acid sequences that may be a regulated or regulatable promoter, enhancer, other transcription regulatory sequence, repressor binding sequence, translation regulatory sequence or any other regulatory nucleic acid sequence. Thus, the term “nucleic acid encoding” or “polynucleotide encoding” a σ1 protein encompasses a nucleic acid which includes only coding sequence for a σ1 polypeptide as well as a nucleic acid which includes additional coding and/or non-coding sequence(s).

According to certain preferred embodiments there is provided an attenuated reovirus comprising a reovirus genome that lacks a wild-type reovirus S1 gene, or that comprises a mutated reovirus S1 gene that is incapable of encoding a reovirus σ1 capsid protein that has an amino acid sequence that is greater than 10%, 20%, 40%, 50%, 70%, 90%, or 95% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NOS:2, 4, 6 or 8. Methodologies for determining whether a mutated S1 gene is present by sequencing a reovirus S1 gene will be apparent from the present disclosure and as known in the art, according to techniques described, for example, in Ausubel et al. (1989); Ausubel et al. (1993); Sambrook et al. (1989); Maniatis et al. (1982); Glover (1985); Hames and Higgins (1985) and elsewhere. A mutated S1 gene thus refers to an S1 gene having a polynucleotide sequence that differs at one or a plurality of nucleotide sequence positions from the nucleotide sequence of a corresponding S1 wild-type or consensus sequence by one or more of a nucleotide substitution, a nucleotide insertion, and a nucleotide deletion, as can be readily determined.

Additionally or alternatively, polynucleotide sequences of reoviral S1 genes, or amino acid sequences of reoviral 81 polypeptides, can be compared for purposes of determining whether a mutated S1 gene (or its product) may be present. As known in the art “similarity” between two polypeptides is determined by comparing the amino acid sequences and conserved amino acid substitutions thereto of a first polypeptide to the sequence of a second polypeptide. As used herein, “% identity” refers to the percentage of identical amino acids situated at corresponding amino acid residue positions when two or more polypeptide are aligned and their sequences analyzed using an appropriate sequence analysis tool, such as the gapped BLAST algorithm (e.g., Altschul et al., 1997) which weights sequence gaps and sequence mismatches according to the default weightings provided by the National Institutes of Health/NCBI database (Bethesda, Md.; see www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/BLAST/nph-newblast), or with other similar tools (e.g., MEGALIGWM, GENEWORKS™, Align or the BLAST algorithm (Altschul, 1991; Henikoff et al., 1992), which is available at the NCBI website (see www/ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/BLAST). Other sequence alignment algorithms, with which those having ordinary skill in the art will be familiar, may also be used.

The presence of nucleic acids which hybridize to σ1 encoding polynucleotide sequences, or their complements, can be determined, as will be readily apparent to those familiar with the art, if there is at least 70%, preferably 80-85%, more preferably at least 90%, and still more preferably at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% identity between the sequences. Certain embodiments particularly relate to nucleic acids which hybridize under stringent conditions to the σ1 encoding nucleic acids referred to herein. As used herein, the term “stringent conditions” means hybridization will occur only if there is at least 90-95% and preferably at least 97% identity between the sequences. The ability to detect presence or absence of nucleic acids which hybridize to σ1 encoding nucleic acids referred to herein may be used, in preferred embodiments, to determine whether a mutated reoviral S1 gene is incapable of encoding polypeptides which retain substantially the same biological function or activity as the wild-type reoviral σ1 polypeptides such as those described in the references cited herein.

As used herein, to “hybridize” under conditions of a specified stringency is used to describe the stability of hybrids formed between two single-stranded nucleic acid molecules. Stringency of hybridization is typically expressed in conditions of ionic strength and temperature at which such hybrids are annealed and washed. Typically “high”, “medium” and “low” stringency encompass the following conditions or equivalent conditions thereto: high stringency: 0.1×SSPE or SSC, 0.1% SDS, 65° C.; medium stringency: 0.2×SSPE or SSC, 0.1% SDS, 50° C.; and low stringency: 1.0×SSPE or SSC, 0.1% SDS, 50° C. As known to those having ordinary skill in the art, variations in stringency of hybridization conditions may be achieved by altering the time, temperature and/or concentration of the solutions used for prehybridization, hybridization and wash steps, and suitable conditions may also depend in part on the particular nucleotide sequences of the probe used, and of the blotted, proband nucleic acid sample. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that suitably stringent conditions can be readily selected without undue experimentation where a desired selectivity of the probe is identified, based on its ability to hybridize to one or more certain proband sequences while not hybridizing to certain other proband sequences.

According to certain embodiments there is provided an attenuated reovirus, comprising a replication-competent reovirus virion that comprises a heritable mutant reovirus S1 gene, the mutant S1 gene comprising one or a plurality of mutations in a reoviral σ1 encoding genomic sequence (e.g., SEQ ID NOS:1, 3, 5 or 7). Determination of the presence or absence of such a mutant (e.g., one or a plurality of nucleotide substitutions, insertions and/or deletions) is within the routine practice of the art as described herein. Similarly, a heritable mutant reovirus S1 gene refers to a mutated S1 gene (relative to a wild-type sequence such SEQ ID NOS:1, 3, 5 or 7) that is passed on from an infectious reovirus to progeny which result from productive infection of a host cell, wherein the presence of the heritable mutation in progeny virus can be determined based on the herein described mutated S1 gene, using established molecular biology procedures. Several mutations in a murine reoviral S1 gene sequence encoding a σ1 protein are disclosed by Hoyt et al. (2005) and according to certain embodiments of the invention described herein the mutations of Hoyt et al. are expressly excluded.

Additionally and in certain embodiments as described herein, there is provided herein an attenuated reovirus that may comprise a replication-competent reovirus virion that comprises a heritable mutant reovirus S4 gene (which encodes a reovirus capsid σ3 polypeptide involved in virion processing during reoviral replicative infection of a host cell), which mutated S4 gene comprises one or a plurality of mutations in a reoviral σ3 encoding genomic sequence (e.g., a mutant S4 gene sequence disclosed herein such as SEQ ID NO:15) relative to a wild-type S4 gene sequence (e.g., SEQ ID NOS:13, 14, 15, see FIG. 12 and Genbank Acc. No. K02739). Detection and identification of such a mutant S4 gene and/or of a related mutant σ3 polypeptide may be determined based on S4-specific sequences and structures as provided herein, and otherwise according to principles and methodologies analogous to those disclosed herein for mutant S1 genes and σ1 polypeptides. Other alterations in the reoviral S4 gene, distinct from those disclosed herein, have been recognized in the maintenance of persistent reoviral infections in cell cultures (Ahmed et al., 1982; Wetzel et al., 1997; Baer et al., 1997) and are expressly excluded from certain presently contemplated embodiments.

The term “isolated” means that the material is removed from its original environment (e.g., the natural environment if it is naturally occurring). For example, a naturally occurring nucleic acid or polypeptide present in an intact virus or in a living animal is not isolated, but the same nucleic acid or polypeptide, separated from some or all of the co-existing materials in the natural system, is isolated. Such nucleic acids could be part of a vector and/or such nucleic acids or polypeptides could be part of a composition, and still be isolated in that such vector or composition is not part of its natural environment.

As described herein and known to the art, the reovirus outer capsid σ1 protein may be readily detected on the basis of its biochemical and/or immunochemical properties (e.g., Mah et al., 1990; Leone et al., 1991; Chappell et al., 1997), typically by employing one or more techniques including immunodetection (e.g., σ1-specific immunoprecipitation, western immunoblot analysis, immunoaffinity chromatography, immunofluorescent staining, immunocytofluorimetry, electrophoresis of radiolabeled reovirus polypeptides, etc.), hemagglutination, and/or related methodologies. Accordingly these and other means for detecting a reoviral σ1 protein have been established, and in view of the teachings herein, those familiar with the art will appreciate what are art-accepted criteria and state-of-the-art sensitivity for detecting σ1 protein, such that a replication-competent reovirus virion that lacks a “detectable” reovirus σ1 capsid protein will be understood to include such a reovirus for which σ1 protein cannot be detected when currently conventional practices for determining σ1 protein, if present, are employed.

Host cells for use in the herein provided compositions and methods may be any suitable cell that can be maintained in culture under conditions and for a time sufficient to support a productive reoviral replication cycle. The reoviral replication cycle includes viral binding to and internalization by the host cell, viral uncoating and entry into the cytoplasm, transcription of the viral genome and translation of the viral transcripts to produce viral proteins which are capable of encapsidating viral genetic material, to provide new progeny reovirus virions that are released from the infected host cell upon subsequent cell lysis.

As described in greater detail below, a preferred method for generating an attenuated reovirus according to the present disclosure relates to an attenuated reovirus that is derived from a host cell culture that has been persistently infected. Persistent infection regimens preferably involve a host cell line that is known to be susceptible to reovirus infection, which host cell line can be exposed to repeated rounds of reovirus infection in order to select for reovirus-resistant cells that are capable of surviving even while supporting an ongoing or persistent reoviral infection. To derive an attenuated reovirus, a susceptible cultured host cell is infected with a reovirus preparation, for example, one of the known reovirus laboratory stocks (e.g., T3D, T3A, T2J, T1L), at a suitable MOI such that the majority of cells are lysed while a small proportion (typically less than 20, 10, 5 or 1 percent of cells remains viable, and can be maintained and expanded in culture. Surviving cells are expanded in culture and then exposed to a second round of viral infection, and the process may be repeated one or several times, with periodic analysis of the surviving cells for evidence of a persistent reoviral infection. Alternatively, in some instances non-cytocidal persistent reoviral infection may be established. Reoviral infections may be detected, for example, by immunologically probing samples of surviving cells for the presence of reoviral proteins, or by molecularly probing samples of surviving cells for the presence of reoviral nucleic acid sequences.

Additionally, viral particles shed by persistently infected cells may be used to productively infect unselected (i.e., reovirus-sensitive) host cell cultures, for purposes of characterizing the progeny so obtained. Thus, there is provided by the present disclosure a method for identifying an attenuated reovirus comprising persistently infecting a suitable host cell with a candidate attenuated reovirus that is obtained as just described, and determining the presence of an attenuated reovirus by identifying in such candidate virus the lack of a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein, and/or by determining that the candidate virus comprises a heritable mutant reovirus S1 gene. The mutant S1 gene may comprise a polynucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5 or 7 but having one or a plurality of mutations that prevent expression of a detectable reovirus σ1 capsid protein, and/or the mutant S1 gene may be incapable of encoding at least one reovirus σ1 capsid protein having an amino acid sequence that is greater than 10%, 20%, 40%, 50%, 70%, 90% or 95% identical to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6, or 8.

Although the attenuated reovirus which comprises a heritable mutation in the reovirus S1 gene may be derived from a wild-type reovirus as the product of persistently infected host cells in vitro, the invention is not intended to be so limited and also contemplates other ways to make, select for, and identify the attenuated reovirus. For example, immunocompromised animal hosts such as genetically immunoincompetent animals (e.g., SCID mice, nude mice, etc.) or artificially immunosuppressed animals (e.g., following immunoablative radiation or pharmacological intervention with immunsuppressive agents such as cyclosporin, cortisone, cyclophosphamide, FK506, leflunomide see also, e.g., Gummert et al. (1999)) may be used for in vivo persistent infection regimens, according to which reovirus-resistant cells may be derived as sources of shed attenuated reovirus, including following serial passage in vivo of such cells during the course of repeated rounds of viral infection.

Additional methods for generating an infectious, replication-competent attenuated reovirus are provided in certain embodiments of the present invention, in view of the disclosure provided herein that useful attenuated reoviruses may be derived wherein the S1 gene comprises a heritable mutation, for example, where the attenuated reovirus lacks a detectable σ1 capsid protein. Thus, for instance, spontaneously arising mutant reoviruses, including genetic reassortants produced by multiply infected cells as discussed above, or mutant reoviruses that result from exposure to mutagenizing conditions such as chemical mutagens (e.g., ethylmethane sulfonate, methylmethane sulfonate, diethylsulfonate, 5-bromodeoxyuridine, nitrosoguanidines, or the like) or physical mutagenizing conditions (e.g., ultraviolet light, x-rays, other ionizing radiation) may be screened, based on the instant disclosure, for mutations in the S1 gene, and in particular for inability to express detectable σ1 protein, to identify an attenuated reovirus. As a pre-screen, for instance, candidate mutant reoviruses may be identified from among the progeny of a viral population that has been exposed to mutagenizing conditions concomitant with viral replication, by assaying for mutants that may be temperature-sensitive or resistant to other physicochemical agents (e.g., ethanol). Viruses evidencing such phenotypic alteration(s) (e.g., relative to wild-type control viruses, and in a statistically significant manner) may then be further examined for genetic alterations, such as loss of S1 gene expression according to the present application.

Still other approaches to generating an attenuated reovirus may usefully exploit the disclosure herein of the heritable S1 mutation that results in a lack of detectable σ1 protein expression, by applying nucleic acids-based gene regulation approaches to S1 gene expression. Hence, by way of non-limiting example, antisense polynucleotides (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,168,053; 5,190,931; 5,135,917; 5,087,617; Clusel et al. (1993); Gee et al. (1994)), ribozymes (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,272,262; 5,144,019; 5,168,053; 5,180,818; 5,116,742; 5,093,246), or small interfering RNA (siRNA, see, e.g., WO 99/32619; WO 01/75164; U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,559; Fire et al. (1998); Sharp, (1999); Elbashir et al. (2001); Harborth et al. (2001); Tuschl (2001); Sharp (2001); Bernstein et al. (2001); Zamore (2002); Plasterk (2002); Zamore (2001); Matzke et al. (2001); Scadden et al. (2001)) or other nucleotide sequences may be designed in view of available sequence information in a manner such that they are directed at impairing S1 gene expression for purposes of decreasing effective σ1 protein levels in a reovirus. Such approaches, given the present disclosure, will permit those skilled in the art to down-regulate S1 gene expression and to determine the presence of an attenuated reovirus that lacks detectable σ1 protein readily and through routine methodologies.

Another alternative approach to the generation of attenuated reoviruses having mutated S1 genes may employ genetically engineered artificial S1 gene constructs having specifically targeted nucleotide sequence mutations that are designed to preclude productive σ1 protein expression, for introduction into multiply infected host cells undergoing reassortative reoviral gene segment recombination. Without wishing to be bound by theory, low frequency reassortant or recombinant reoviruses that acquire such engineered S1 genes, and hence lack detectable σ1 protein, may be screened for and isolated from among the viral progeny of such lytically infected host cells.

A variety of biological assays may be combined with any of the foregoing methods for generating an attenuated reovirus, for purposes of selecting for an attenuated reovirus having a desirable phenotype. By way of non-limiting example, an attenuated reovirus that is deficient in al protein expression may be further selected on the basis of its decreased (e.g., in a statistically significant manner relative to wild-type reovirus) adhesion to target host cell surfaces, or of decreased infectivity in normal tissues or decreased damage to cells (in vivo or ex vivo) while retaining oncolytic effects toward malignant cells.

It will be readily apparent that additional variations of such phenotypic selection are contemplated, and may depend on particular tumor cell types in which oncolysis is desired and/or particular non-malignant cell types in which oncolysis is desirably avoided or minimized, as well as on other factors including but not limited to viral titers, potency of infection (e.g., MOI), and other parameters. Oncolytic effects include any detectable parameter resulting from reoviral infection of and replication in a host tumor cell, leading to lysis of that cell. An attenuated reovirus thus may mediate an oncolytic effect by infecting a tumor cell and replicating within it, with accumulated progeny reoviruses eventually lysing it. Oncolytic mechanisms may include one or more of apoptosis, cell necrosis and cell lysis, which can be measured as described herein and in the cited publications, for purposes of determining whether a given candidate attenuated reovirus mediates an oncolytic effect (e.g., a statistically significant level of oncolysis has occurred).

A number of phenotypic characteristics of the attenuated reoviruses according to certain embodiments of the present invention relate to attenuated reoviruses that exhibit a decreased (e.g., with statistical significance relative to a wild-type reovirus) level of at least one detectable cytopathic effect toward a non-malignant cell relative to the level of the detectable cytopathic effect that is exhibited toward the non-malignant cell by a wild-type reovirus. Non-limiting examples of non-malignant cells for which the attenuated reoviruses have one or more decreased cytopathic effects include differentiated normal cells such as cardiac myocytes, pancreatic cells and endothelial cells, and undifferentiated stem cells such as embryonic stem cells and neural stem/progenitor cells.

A wide range of reoviral cytopathic effects can be detected, any one or more of which may be useful according to several of the herein disclosed embodiments, including identification, selection and/or characterization of the subject invention attenuated reovirus. These detectable cytopathic effects include apoptosis, necrosis, cytolytic viral replication, other altered cellular morphology, altered cell adhesion, altered cellular gene expression, altered cellular replication, and altered cellular metabolic activity.

Cells that are suspected of undergoing apoptosis or necrosis may be examined for morphological, permeability or other changes that are indicative of an apoptotic state or a necrotic state. For example by way of illustration and not limitation, apoptosis in many cell types may cause altered morphological appearance such as plasma membrane blebbing, cell shape change, loss of substrate adhesion properties or other morphological changes that can be readily detected by a person having ordinary skill in the art, for example by using light microscopy. As another example, cells undergoing apoptosis may exhibit fragmentation and disintegration of chromosomes, which may be apparent by microscopy and/or through the use of DNA-specific or chromatin-specific dyes that are known in the art, including fluorescent dyes. Apoptotic, necrotic and/or lysed cells may also exhibit altered plasma membrane permeability properties as may be readily detected through the use of vital dyes (e.g., propidium iodide, trypan blue) or by the detection of lactate dehydrogenase leakage into the extracellular milieu. These and other means for detecting apoptotic, necrotic and/or lysed cells by morphologic criteria, altered plasma membrane permeability and related changes will be apparent to those familiar with the art.

In another embodiment cells in a biological sample containing cells such as tumor cells suspected of undergoing apoptosis may be assayed for translocation of cell membrane phosphatidylserine (PS) from the inner to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane, which may be detected, for example, by measuring outer leaflet binding by the PS-specific protein annexin. (Martin et al., 1995; Fadok et al, 1992). Alternatively, a cellular response to an apoptogen is determined by an assay for induction of specific protease activity in any member of a family of apoptosis-activated proteases known as the caspases (see, e.g., Green et al., 1998). Those having ordinary skill in the art will be readily familiar with methods for determining caspase activity, for example by determination of caspase-mediated cleavage of specifically recognized protein substrates. These substrates may include, for example, poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) or other naturally occurring or synthetic peptides and proteins cleaved by caspases that are known in the art (see, e.g., Ellerby et al., 1997). The synthetic peptide Z-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-AFC (SEQ ID NO:16), wherein “Z” indicates a benzoyl carbonyl moiety and AFC indicates 7-amino-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin (Kluck et al., 1997; Nicholson et al., 1995), is one such substrate. Other non-limiting examples of substrates include nuclear proteins such as U1-70 kDa and DNA-PKcs (Rosen and Casciola-Rosen, 1997; Cohen, 1997). Cellular apoptosis may also be detected by determination of cytochrome c that has escaped from mitochondria in apoptotic cells (e.g., Liu et al., 1996). Such detection of cytochrome c may be performed spectrophotometrically, immunochemically or by other well established methods for determining the presence of a specific protein. Persons having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that there may be other suitable techniques for quantifying apoptosis or other detectable cytopathic effects.

II. METHODS OF TREATMENT

For use in methods of treating a malignant condition such as an activated oncogene-associated malignant condition, and in particular to achieve an oncolytic effect, in certain embodiments the present invention attenuated reovirus (as described above) may be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions for administration according to well known methodologies. Pharmaceutical compositions generally comprise one or more attenuated reoviruses as described herein, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, excipient or diluent. Such carriers will be nontoxic to recipients at the dosages and concentrations employed. Typically about 0.01 μg/kg to about 100 mg/kg body weight will be adminstered, typically by the intradermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intratumoral or intravenous route, or by other routes. A preferred dosage is about 1 μg/kg to about 1 mg/kg, with about 5 μg/kg to about 200 μg/kg particularly preferred. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the number and frequency of administration will be dependent upon the response of the host, from which may be determined what is an effective amount. “Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers” for therapeutic use are well known in the pharmaceutical art, and are described, for example, in Remingtons Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack Publishing Co., 1985). For example, sterile saline and phosphate-buffered saline at physiological pH may be used. Preservatives, stabilizers, dyes and even flavoring agents may be provided in the pharmaceutical composition. For example, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid and esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid may be added as preservatives. In addition, antioxidants and suspending agents may be used.

The pharmaceutical compositions that contain one or more attenuated reoviruses may be in any form which allows for the composition to be administered to a patient. For example, the composition may be in the form of a solid, liquid or gas (aerosol). Typical routes of administration include, without limitation, oral, topical, parenteral (e.g., sublingually or buccally), sublingual, rectal, vaginal, and intranasal. The term parenteral as used herein includes subcutaneous injections, intravenous, intramuscular, intrasternal, intracavernous, intrathecal, intrameatal, intraurethral injection or infusion techniques. The pharmaceutical composition is formulated so as to allow the active ingredients contained therein to be bioavailable upon administration of the composition to a patient. Compositions that will be administered to a patient take the form of one or more dosage units, where for example, a tablet may be a single dosage unit, and a container of one or more compounds of the invention in aerosol form may hold a plurality of dosage units.

For oral administration, an excipient and/or binder may be present. Examples are sucrose, kaolin, glycerin, starch dextrins, sodium alginate, carboxymethylcellulose and ethyl cellulose. Coloring and/or flavoring agents may be present. A coating shell may be employed.

The composition may be in the form of a liquid, e.g., an elixir, syrup, solution, emulsion or suspension. The liquid may be for oral administration or for delivery by injection, as two examples. When intended for oral administration, preferred compositions contain, in addition to one or more attenuated reoviruses, one or more of a sweetening agent, preservatives, dye/colorant and flavor enhancer. In a composition intended to be administered by injection, one or more of a surfactant, preservative, wetting agent, dispersing agent, suspending agent, buffer, stabilizer and isotonic agent may be included.

A liquid pharmaceutical composition as used herein, whether in the form of a solution, suspension or other like form, may include one or more of the following adjuvants: sterile diluents such as water for injection, saline solution, preferably physiological saline, Ringer's solution, isotonic sodium chloride, fixed oils such as synthetic mono or digylcerides which may serve as the solvent or suspending medium, polyethylene glycols, glycerin, propylene glycol or other solvents; antibacterial agents such as benzyl alcohol or methyl paraben; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or sodium bisulfite; chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; buffers such as acetates, citrates or phosphates and agents for the adjustment of tonicity such as sodium chloride or dextrose. The parenteral preparation can be enclosed in ampoules, disposable syringes or multiple dose vials made of glass or plastic. Physiological saline is a preferred adjuvant. An injectable pharmaceutical composition is preferably sterile.

It may also be desirable to include other components in the preparation, such as delivery vehicles including but not limited to aluminum salts, water-in-oil emulsions, biodegradable oil vehicles, oil-in-water emulsions, biodegradable microcapsules, and liposomes. Examples of immunostimulatory substances (adjuvants) for use in such vehicles include N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine-D-isoglutamine (MDP), lipopolysaccharides (LPS), glucan, IL-12, GM-CSF, gamma interferon and IL-15. In other embodiments, methods of treating a malignant condition that comprise administering the subject invention attenuated reovirus further comprise administering, simultaneously or sequentially and in any order, at least one of (i) an anti-cancer drug, which may be a chemotherapeutic agent, an antibody, a cytokine, a hormone, or a growth factor, and (ii) radiation therapy.

In other embodiments it may desirable to include immunosuppressant agents in the preparation or in separate preparations to be administered simultaneously or sequentially and in either order. Examples of immunosuppressive agents include cyclosporin, cortisone, cyclophosphamide, FK506 (tacrolimus), leflunomide and others with which those skilled in the art will be familiar. Without wishing to be bound by theory, in the context of oncolytic therapy wherein the attenuated reovirus exhibits a decreased level of at least one cytopathic effect toward a malignant cell relative to the level of the detectable cytopathic effect that is exhibited toward the non-malignant cell by a non-attenuated reovirus, desirably lower levels of such immunosuppressive agents may be needed when the attenuated reovirus is used.

In certain other embodiments, methods disclosed herein for treating a malignant condition, for example, an activated oncogene-associated malignant condition or other type of malignant condition, comprise administering an effective amount of an attenuated reovirus to a subject under conditions and for a time sufficient for the attenuated reovirus to mediate (e.g., induce, cause, turn on or participate in mechanisms of, or otherwise result in) an oncolytic effect, and may further comprise comprising administering, simultaneously or sequentially and in any order, at least one of (i) an anti-cancer drug that comprises an agent selected from a chemotherapeutic agent, an antibody, a cytokine, a hormone, and an apoptogen (an agent capable of inducing apoptosis), and (ii) radiation therapy. Uses of anti-cancer drugs (e.g., doxorubicin, etoposide, teniposide, methotrexate, cytarabine, cisplatin, bleomycin, and 5-fluorouracil) and/or radiation in multi-modal or combination therapies are known in the art, as described, for example, in Guner et al., 2003; Lammering et al., 2003; Marini et al. 2003; and Jendrossek et al., 2003; and apoptogenic activity has been described for many such anti-cancer drugs as well as for other proteins (including certain antibodies, cytokines and hormones) and ligands (e.g., Fas ligand) of cell surface “death receptors” (e.g., Bras et al., 2005; Herr et al., 2001, and references cited therein).

While any suitable carrier known to those of ordinary skill in the art may be employed in the pharmaceutical compositions of this invention, the type of carrier will vary depending on the mode of administration and whether a sustained release is desired. For parenteral administration, such as subcutaneous injection, the carrier preferably comprises water, saline, alcohol, a fat, a wax or a buffer. For oral administration, any of the above carriers or a solid carrier, such as mannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharine, talcum, cellulose, glucose, sucrose, and magnesium carbonate, may be employed. Biodegradable microspheres (e.g., polylactic galactide) may also be employed as carriers for the pharmaceutical compositions of this invention. Suitable biodegradable microspheres are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,897,268 and 5,075,109. In this regard, it is preferable that the microsphere be larger than approximately 25 microns.

Pharmaceutical compositions may also contain diluents such as buffers, antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, low molecular weight (less than about 10 residues) polypeptides, proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates including glucose, sucrose or dextrins, chelating agents such as EDTA, glutathione and other stabilizers and excipients. Neutral buffered saline or saline mixed with nonspecific serum albumin are exemplary appropriate diluents. Preferably, product is formulated as a lyophilizate using appropriate excipient solutions (e.g., sucrose) as diluents.

In addition to direct in vivo procedures, ex vivo procedures may be used in which cells are removed from a host, modified, and placed into the same or another host organism (e.g., a human patient or animal subject). It will be evident that one can utilize any of the compositions noted above for introduction of attenuated reoviruses into tissue cells in an ex vivo context. Protocols for viral infection of cells, and physical and chemical methods of uptake are well known in the art.

Accordingly, the present invention is useful for treating a patient having a malignant condition, or for treating a cell culture derived from such a patient. As used herein, the term “patient” refers to any warm-blooded animal, preferably a human. A patient may be afflicted with cancer or a malignant condition, or may be normal (i.e., free of detectable disease and infection). A “cell culture” includes any preparation amenable to ex vivo treatment, for example, a preparation containing hematopoietic cells or immunocompetent cells or isolated cells of the immune system (including, but not limited to, T cells, macrophages, monocytes, B cells and dendritic cells) or transplant or graft (e.g., autologous graft) cells or any other preparation for which ex vivo treatment may precede reintroduction in vivo. Such cells may be isolated by any of a variety of techniques well known to those of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., Ficoll-hypaque density centrifugation). The cells may (but need not) have been isolated from a patient afflicted with a malignant condition, and may be reintroduced into a patient after treatment.

A liquid composition intended for either parenteral or oral administration should contain an amount of attenuated reovirus such that a suitable dosage will be obtained. Typically, this amount is at least 0.01 wt % of attenuated reovirus in the composition. When intended for oral administration, this amount may be varied to be between 0.1 and about 70% of the weight of the composition. Preferred oral compositions contain between about 4% and about 50% of attenuated reovirus. Preferred compositions and preparations are prepared so that a parenteral dosage unit contains between 0.01 to 1% by weight of active agent.

The pharmaceutical composition may be intended for topical administration, in which case the carrier may suitably comprise a solution, emulsion, ointment or gel base. The base, for example, may comprise one or more of the following: petrolatum, lanolin, polyethylene glycols, beeswax, mineral oil, diluents such as water and alcohol, and emulsifiers and stabilizers. Thickening agents may be present in a pharmaceutical composition for topical administration. If intended for transdermal administration, the composition may include a transdermal patch or iontophoresis device. Topical formulations may contain a concentration of the attenuated reovirus of from about 0.1 to about 10% w/v (weight per unit volume).

The composition may be intended for rectal administration, in the form, e.g., of a suppository which will melt in the rectum and release the drug. The composition for rectal administration may contain an oleaginous base as a suitable nonirritating excipient. Such bases include, without limitation, lanolin, cocoa butter and polyethylene glycol. In the methods of the invention, the attenuated reovirus may be administered through use of insert(s), bead(s), timed-release formulation(s), patch(es) or fast-release formulation(s).

III. EXAMPLES

The following Examples are offered by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

Example 1—Generation of Attentuated Reovirus by Persistent Human Reovirus Infection of a Cell Line

A. Materials & Methods

Standard laboratory procedures were adopted from Ausubel et al. (1989); Ausubel et al. (1993); Sambrook et al. (1989); Maniatis et al. (1982); Glover, 1985); Hames and Higgins (1985). All reagents were from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, Mo.) unless otherwise noted.

Cell Lines and Viruses.

Human fibrosarcoma (HT1080), normal primary human foreskin fibroblast (Hs68), HeLa, murine L929 and human 293 cell lines were purchased from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, Va.). The cells were maintained according to ATCC protocols. The resistant cell line (HTR1) derived from HT1080 cells was maintained for more than 36 months. The Dearing strain of reovirus serotype 3 used in these studies was propagated in suspension cultures of L929 cells and purified according to Smith et al. (1969) with the exception that β-mercaptoethanol was omitted from the extraction buffer. The attenuated reovirus (AV) was propagated in HT1080 and purified by the same method as used for the wild-type reovirus. Human adenovirus type 5 and human adenovirus type 5 variant (E1B region deleted) were kindly provided by Dr. P. Branton (McGill University, Montreal) and were prepared as described (Teodoro et al., 1994).

Immunoblot Analysis.

Cell lysates were prepared by sonication in a buffer containing 10 mM Tris (pH 7.4), 2 mM EDTA, 1% NP-40, 50 mM mercaptoethanol, 100 ug/ml leupeptin and 2 ug/ml aprotinin. The lysates were then cleared by centrifugation at 16,000×g for 15 min, normalized for protein amount, mixed with SDS sample buffer, boiled for 5 min and stored at −70° C. After separation by SDS-PAGE, proteins were transferred to nitrocellulose membranes and then detected by immunoblot hybridization. The primary antibodies (Abs) were as follows: anti-reovirus polyclonal Ab (Lee et al., 1981), anti-caspase 3 Ab (Ingenex, San Diego, Calif.), anti-PARP Ab (BD Biosciences, San Jose, Calif.), anti-XIAP Ab (Imgenex), anti-actin Ab, anti-phospho-PKR Ab (Cell Signaling, Beverly, Mass.), and anti-PKR Ab (Upstate Biotech, Waltham, Mass.). The secondary Abs were horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-mouse Ab or horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-rabbit Ab (Pierce Biotech, Rockford, Ill.).

DNA Sequencing and Ras Activity Assays.

To sequence the N-Ras genes of HT1080 and HTR1 cells in the region encompassing the mutant codon 61, PCR was performed using two primers specific for the second exon of N-Ras. The 5′-primer was

[SEQ ID NO: 17] GGTGAAACCTGTTTGTTGGA

and the 3′-primer was

[SEQ ID NO: 18] ATACACAGAGGAAGCCTTCG

The 119-bp PCR product was acrylamide gel-purified and sequenced using a 377XL ABI DNA Sequencing instrument (ABI, Foster City, Calif.) according to the manufacturer's instructions. To sequence the S1 gene of the AV virus, viral dsRNA genes were first converted to cDNA by reverse transcription and PCR amplification using the 5′-primer

[SEQ ID NO: 19] CATGAATTCATG GATCCTCGCCTACGTTAAGAAG

and the 3′-primer

[SEQ ID NO: 20] CAGAAGCTTCTGATCCTCACGTGAAACTACGC, then cloned into pBK-CMV vector (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.) with EcoRI and HindIII insertions. Sequences of S1 genes were determined by standard automated sequencing methods as above using T7 and T3 primers.

Ras.

Ras activity assays were performed using Ras activation assay kits according to the supplier's instructions (Upstate Biotech, Waltham, Mass.). To determine the level of activated Ras (GTP bound form), cell lysates were incubated with agarose beads conjugated with the Ras-Raf binding domain at 4° C. for 1 hr. The beads were collected, washed, resuspended in 4× sample buffer, and boiled for 5 min. The samples were then subjected to SDS-PAGE and blotted with anti-N-Ras antibody (Oncogene Research, San Diego, Calif.). To detect total Ras protein, cell lysates were directly subjected to SDS-PAGE and blotted with anti-N-Ras antibody.

Virus Titration.

Six-well plates of cells were infected with human reovirus type 3 at an MOI of 40 PFU/cell. After 45 min at 4° C., virus-binding solution was removed, fresh medium was added, and cells were incubated at 37° C. until the designated time points. Plates were then subjected to three rounds of freeze-thawing and supernatants were used for plaque titration on 293 cell monolayers.

MTT and Apoptotic Nucleosome Assays.

Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay (Mosmann, 1983). Cells were plated in triplicate in 96-well plates. Following reoviral challenge, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) in PBS was added to each well. After 2 hr, lysis buffer (20% SDS in dimethylformamide/doubly distilled H₂O [50:50, v/v]) was added and plates were incubated overnight at 37° C. before absorbance readings. Fragmented nucleosomal DNA in cells undergoing apoptosis was detected using anti-histone-biotin and peroxidase conjugated anti-DNA antibodies in streptavidin-coated microplates provided by the Cell Death Detection ELISA Plus kit (Roche Applied Science, Laval, Quebec).

Flow Cytometry and Apoptosis Inducers.

Cells were trypsinized and fixed in cytofix/cytoperm solution (PharMingen, San Diego, Calif.). Rabbit anti-reovirus polyclonal antibody was conjugated with FITC (FluoReporter FITC Protein Labeling Kit, Molecular Probes, Burlington, Ontario). The fixed and permeabilized cells were incubated with the FITC conjugated antibody and analyzed by flow cytometry. Detection of phosphatidylserine on the surfaces of apoptotic cells was performed using the Annexin-V-FITC detection kit (PharMingen, San Diego, Calif.). DNA fragmentation was assessed with the APO-BRDU kit (Sigma, Oakville, Ontario). FasL was purchased from Upstate Biotechnology (Waltham, Mass.) and camptothecin was from Biovision Research Products (Mountain View, Calif.).

RT-PCR Analysis.

RNA was extracted from cells using phenol:chloroform. Equal amounts of total cellular RNA from each sample were subjected to RT-PCR (Wong et al., 1994 Anal. Biochem. 223:251) using random hexanucleotide primers (Amersham, Piscataway, N.J.) and reverse transcriptase (Invitrogen, Burlington, Ontario). The cDNAs were then subjected to selective PCR of reovirus s1 using the primers

[SEQ ID NO: 21] AATTCGATTTAGGTGACACTATAGCTATTGGTCGGATG and [SEQ ID NO: 22] CCCTTTTGACAGTGATGCTCCGTTATCACTCG that amplify a predicted 116 bp fragment. These primer sequences were derived from the S1 sequence determined previously (Nagata et al., 1984). The GAPDH primers (Wong et al., 1994)

[SEQ ID NO: 23] CGGAGTCAACGGATTTGGTCGTAT and [SEQ ID NO: 24] AGCCTTCTCCATGGTGGTGAAGAC were used to amplify a predicted 306 bp GAPDH fragment which served as a PCR and gel loading control. Amplification of the s1 and GAPDH cDNAs was performed using Taq DNA polymerase (Invitrogen, Burlington, Ontario) using a Perkin Elmer Gene Amp PCR system 9600 (Perkin-Emer, Norwalk, Conn.). PCR was carried out for 28 cycles, with each cycle consisting of a denaturing step for 30 s at 97° C., an annealing step for 45 s at 55° C. and a polymerization step for 60 s at 72° C. PCR products were analyzed by electrophoresis through an ethidium bromide-impregnated TAE/2% agarose gel and photographed under UV illumination.

[³⁵S] Methionine Labelling and Immunoprecipitation.

70% confluent monolayers of HT1080, HTR1 and “cured” cells (HTR1 cells that were cured of persistent reoviral infection by growth in the presence of anti-reovirus antibody for three weeks according to procedures described in Dermody et al., 1995 and Ahmed et al., 1981) were infected with reovirus (MOI=40 PFU/cell). At 36 hrs post-infection, the medium was supplemented with 0.1 mCi/ml of [³⁵S] methionine. After further incubation for 12 hrs at 37° C., the cells were lysed in buffer containing 1% Triton X-100, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate and 1 mM EDTA. The nuclei were then removed by low-speed centrifugation and the supernatants were stored at −70° C. until use. Immunoprecipitation of ³⁵S-labeled reovirus-infected cell lysates with anti-reovirus serotype 3 serum was carried out as previously described (Lee et al., 1981 Virology 108:134). In other experiments, 70% confluent monolayers of HT1080, HTR1 and Cured cells were infected with adenovirus type 5 and E1B deleted adenovirus type5 (MOI=20 PFU/cell). At 24 hr post-infection, the medium was supplemented with 0.1 mCi/ml of [³⁵S] methionine. After further incubation for 24 hrs at 37° C., the cells were lysed and subjected to SDS PAGE for autoradiography.

B. Results

Selection for Transformed Cells Resistant to Reovirus.

The HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cell line is heterozygous for an activating N-ras mutation (Gln to Lys at position 61) in its genome (Brown et al, 1984) and is exquisitely sensitive to reovirus (below). HT1080 cells were infected by human reovirus type 3 at multiplicities of infection (MOI) of 10-20. After 48-72 hr significant cytopathic effects were observed and MTT assays revealed that 80-95% of cells were dead; by one week fewer than 10⁻³ of the population was still alive; the remaining viable cells were allowed to grow over several weeks to 70-80% confluence, then infected again. Cells were serially infected 3 times to obtain highly resistant populations, from which 8 subclones were obtained by serial dilution.

One clone designated HTR1 (other subclones were also tested and showed similar properties) was highly resistant to reovirus challenge even at high MOI of reovirus infection (FIG. 1A). Microsatellite DNA fingerprint analyses confirmed that the HTR1 cells were indeed derived from the HT1080 cells. The growth rate of the HTR1 cells was reduced; at first the cells grew very slowly but after several months they accelerated modestly, to approximately twice the doubling time compared to the parental cells. Consistent with their slowed growth, the HTR1 cells were persistently infected with reovirus as detected by Western blot analysis of cell lysates (FIG. 1B); the expression of viral proteins in the HTR1 cells was typically 10-20% of the level seen in HT1080 parental cells undergoing a lytic infection. Electron and deconvolution confocal microscopy of HTR1 cells was performed, with electron microscopy showing reoviral replicative factory activity near the nuclei of HTR1 cells and immunofluorescence staining with reoviral antigen-specific antibodies confirming the subcellular localization of such reoviral replicative factory activity in dividing HTR1 cells. From these results it was apparent that an adaptive response had arisen during the acquisition of viral resistance by the HTR1 cells.

Cellular Changes in the Resistant Cells.

Culture supernatants of the persistently infected clonal HTR1 cells were examined by plaque titration to determine how many viruses they produced. Functional reovirus was produced at up to 10⁸ plaque forming units per ml of culture supernatant, compared with 10¹⁰ PFUs per ml from parental HT1080 cells during a lytic infection. The HTR1 cells were then examined by flow cytometry using FITC conjugated anti-reovirus antibody to detect viral antigens. FIG. 2A shows that the subcloned HTR1 cell population was mixed in phenotype, with most cells showing minimal viral antigen expression and only a small portion expressing abundant antigens. Together with the observed reduction in viral protein synthesis in the HTR1 cell population (FIG. 1B), these results indicated that the HTR1 cells were capable of reovirus replication, albeit with a limited capacity.

As discussed above, elevated activity in Ras or Ras-dependent pathways has previously been shown to be important in reoviral oncolysis (Strong et al., 1998). The possibility was considered that HTR1 cells might revert from high to low levels of Ras activity, thereby permitting the observed acquisition of the viral resistant phenothype. HT1080 cells, the parental cell line from which HTR1 cells were derived as described above, were earlier shown to contain an N-ras allele having a point mutation at codon 61 (Brown et al., 1984). Sequence analysis surrounding N-ras codon 61 was performed to determine whether HTR1 cells retained the N-ras mutation, and showed that both the HT1080 and the HTR1 genomes were heterozygous at that site (FIG. 3A). Therefore, N-ras reversion did not occur in HTR1 cells during the acquisition of viral resistance by HTR1. Ras activity was also assessed in parental and resistant cells using GST-Raf RBD (Ras Binding Domain) fusion protein conjugated to agarose beads; where Raf RBD has previously been shown to bind active Ras protein but not inactive isoforms (Vallee-Belisle et al., 2004). FIG. 3B shows that lysates from both the parental HT1080 and HTR1 cells had high constitutive Ras activity as evidenced by GST-Raf RBD binding. Thus, viral resistance by HTR1 cells was not the result of reduced Ras activity, nor of mutant-Ras reversions.

Apoptotic Responses of the Resistant Cells.

Reovirus has previously been shown to induce apoptosis in various cancer cells (Clarke et al., 2001). Hence, the capacity of HTR1 cells to undergo reovirus-induced apoptosis was examined as a possible mechanism of HTR1 resistance to virus. The apoptotic responses of the HTR1 cells upon reovirus infection were determined by several methods, including flow cytometric measures of Annexin V staining, DNA fragmentation assays and immunoblot analyses of proteins in apoptotic pathways. HTR1 cells showed significantly reduced indicia of apoptosis compared to the parental HT1080 cells upon reovirus challenge. As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the parental cells underwent DNA fragmentation, phosphatidyl serine (PS) externalization and caspase 3, PARP and XIAP cleavage upon reovirus infection, whereas the HTR1 cells did not exhibit significant apoptotic responses except for PS externalization (FIG. 5A, right panel).

Other apoptotic inducers (apoptogens) were also tested for their ability to trigger apoptosis in the HTR1 cells. HTR1 and HT1080 cells displayed similar apoptotic responses to camptothecin and Fas ligand treatment (FIGS. 5C and 5D). In addition, HTR1 and HT1080 cells were similarly sensitive to challenge with wild-type or E1B compromised adenovirus, resulting in significant cell death and adenoviral protein synthesis (FIG. 5E and FIG. 5F). HTR1 cells thus apparently retained functional apoptotic pathways that can be triggered by chemical or adenoviral apotogenic agents.

Example 2—Characterization of Attenuated Reovirus

Reovirus generated from the HTR1 cells as described in Example 1 was assessed for cytopathic activity toward parental HT1080 cells by exposing parental cells to supernatant medium prepared from cultured HTR1 cells. Significant cell death and viral protein synthesis were observed (FIGS. 4B, 4C), indicating that the reovirus generated from the resistant culture (HTR1) was still functional. Reovirus prepared from the resistant culture, designated as AV (Adapted Virus), showed differential apoptosis-inducing activity compared to the original laboratory strain wild-type reovirus. The AV virus showed significant cytopathic and apoptotic activity only with the parental HT1080 cells, but not with 293 cells or L929 cells (FIGS. 4A, 4B). Because the sigma 1 (σ1) protein of reovirus had demonstrated importance in reovirus-mediated apoptosis (Connolly et al., 2001), the S1 gene segment of the AV virus was sequenced and found to contain several mutations, including a deletion causing a reading frame shift and a premature stop codon in the N-terminus (Table 1). Biochemical analysis of AV polypeptides, including immunochemical analysis by western blotting (FIG. 13) revealed no detectable σ1 protein.

TABLE 1 Mutations in S1 gene nucleotide sequence of AV virus and corresponding mutations in deduced amino acid sequences of their σ1 protein and σ1s protein compared with wild-type (WT) reovirus lab variant shown in FIG. 8 [SEQ ID NOS: 9, 10, 11, 12] Location of mutations Sigma1s GenBank S1 gene Sigma1 protein protein assession no.  26, deletion  5, Frame shift — AY860061 359, T→ C 116, L→ P — 392, T→ C 127, V→ A — 763, C→ T 251, Q→ Stop — 912, A→ G 300, I→ M —

In Table 1, mutation location numbers in the S1 gene refer to nucleotide sequence position; mutation location numbers in the sigma1 or sigma1s protein or refer to amino acid sequence position.

Similarly, because the S4 gene has been implicated in the maintenance of persistent reoviral infections in cell cultures (Ahmed et al., 1982; Wetzel et al., 1997; Baer et al., 1997) the S4 gene coding region of the attenuated reovirus (AV) was sequenced. As shown in Table 2, mutations in the σ3 protein region of S4 were also identified in the attenuated reovirus.

TABLE 2 Mutations in S4 gene nucleotide sequence of AV virus and corresponding mutations in deduced amino acid sequences of their σ3 protein, relative to the sequence of the wild-type (WT) reovirus lab variant shown in FIG. 12 [SEQ ID NOS: 13, 14, 15] Location of mutations GenBank S4 gene Sigma3 protein assession no. 562, C→ T  45, S → F 784, A→ T 119, H → L

In Table 2, mutation location numbers in the S4 gene refer to nucleotide sequence position; mutation location numbers in the sigma3 protein or refer to amino acid sequence position.

Example 3—In Vivo Tumorigenicity of HTR1 Cells Persistently Infected with an Attenuated Reovirus

Materials and Methods were as described above in Example 1, with the addition of the following protocol for determining in vivo tumorigenicity of HTR1 cells, which produce AV, an exemplary attenuated reovirus: 5×10⁶ cells of HT1080, HTR1, Cured (Dermody et al., 1995; Ahmed et al., 1981) and a mixture of HTR1 and Cured cells were suspended in 100 μl of PBS and injected into the left flanks of 6 to 8 week-old severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice (Charles River, Wilmington, Mass.). Mice were treated according to protocols approved by the University of Calgary Animal Care Committee. Tumor growth was monitored by weekly measurement. Mice were sacrificed when they had black tails caused by unconstrained reovirus-mediated pathology (Loken et al., 2004), or difficulty due to tumor burden. Tumors were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde at room temperature, and tumor specimens were sent to the University of Calgary Histopathology Laboratory Research Service for routine histological analysis (H/E staining).

Both persistently infected (HTR1) and ‘cured’ HTR1 cells were tested for tumor formation in SCID mice by xenograft subcutaneous injection of cell suspensions. HTR1 cells that were ‘cured’ of the persistent reoviral infection by growth in the presence of reovirus antibody for 3 weeks in vitro, as previously demonstrated by others (Dermody et al., 1995; Ahmed et al., 1981) yielded virus-free cells, as shown by the absence of viral antigen, viral protein synthesis and viral transcripts (FIGS. 6A-C). In sharp contrast to the highly tumorigenic parental (HT1080) and cured cells, the persistently infected (HTR1) cells were not tumorigenic in vivo (FIGS. 7A and 7B). Furthermore, the persistently infected cells were able to suppress the cured cells' tumorigenic activity when co-injected (FIG. 7A, right panel), suggesting that reoviral persistence can have an ongoing role in tumor suppression. In fact, both the HTR1-implanted and the (HTR1-plus-cured) co-implanted SCID mice formed black tails after 3-7 months implantation without any tumor formation. Black tail formation was regarded as a manifestation of reovirus-mediated pathology in SCID mice (but not immunocompetent mice) and appeared within several weeks following wild-type reovirus infection (Loken et al., 2004). In a manner consistent with the suppression of tumor growth, the AV (an attenuated reovirus) thus persisted in mice for an extended period with reduced cytopathicity.

Example 4—Cytopathogenicity and Oncolysis Mediated by Attenuated Reovirus

This example describes cytopathogenic and oncolytic activities of an attenuated reovirus, and comparison of such activities to those of a wild-type reovirus.

Murine embryonic stem cells (MES2) were infected in vitro with either wild-type or AV (attenuated) reovirus obtained as described in Example 1, at a MOI of 40. Five days following infection, cytopathic effects of the cultures were observed via microscopy and representative fields photographed, as shown in FIG. 9. (Mock: Mock infection, WT: wild-type reovirus, AV: Attenuated reovirus) Wild-type reoviral infection resulted in pronounced cytopathic effects as evidenced by altered host cell morphology, while such effects were not apparent in cells infected with the attenuated reovirus.

Reoviral oncolysis and morbidity were compared in an HT1080 xenograft model in SCID mice essentially according to procedures described in the preceding example. Attenuated reovirus (AV) exhibited viral replication, cytopathic effects in vitro, and oncolytic effects in vivo in HT1080 cells. As shown in FIGS. 10A-B, SCID mice received a single implantation of HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. Eleven days after implantation, tumors were injected with reoviruses (FIG. 10A; WT reo (wild-type reovirus), circle; n=6 tumor, AV reo (attenuated reovirus), rectangle: n=6 tumor, D reo (Dead, UV-inactivated reovirus), triangle: n=5 tumor) and tumor growth was followed up to 34 days post implantation. WT reovirus was injected additionally after 23 days post implantation. AV reovirus was injected additionally after 23 and 27 days post implantation.

FIG. 10B shows histological comparison of tumors treated with reoviruses (WT reo, AV reo, and D reo as described above). The paraffin sections of reovirus-treated tumors were analyzed by immune-staining with anti-reovirus antibody. Brown staining appeared as dark staining in black-and-white reproductions of photomicrographs and indicated reoviral protein positive areas in tumor sections, and the sections were counter-stained with hematoxylin (upper panel). The paraffin sections of hearts from reovirus-injected mice were also analyzed by H&E staining. Extensive necrotic lesions (arrows) are shown in cardiac myocytes of the wild-type reovirus-injected mice (lower panel) but were absent from attenuated reovirus-injected animals (lower panel, Av reo).

Reoviral oncolysis and morbidity were also compared in an HCT116 human colon carcinoma xenograft model in SCID mice essentially according to procedures described in the preceding example except using HCT116 cells (ATCC). Attenuated reovirus (AV) exhibited viral replication and oncolytic effects in vivo in HCT116 cells, but did not induce cytopathic effects in vitro. As shown in FIGS. 11A-B, SCID mouse received a single implantation of HCT116 cells. Eleven days after implantation, tumors were injected with reoviruses (FIG. 11A, WT reo, wild-type reovirus, circle; n=4 tumor, AV reo (attenuated reovirus), rectangle: n=4 tumor, D reo (Dead, UV-inactivated reovirus), triangle: n=4 tumor) and tumor growth was followed up to 34 days post implantation. WT reovirus was injected additionally after 23 days post implantation. AV reovirus was injected additionally after 23 and 27 days post implantation.

FIG. 11B shows histological comparison of tumors treated with reoviruses (WT reo, AV reo, and D reo as described above). The paraffin sections of reovirus-treated tumors were analyzed by immune-staining with anti-reovirus antibody. Brown staining appeared as dark staining in black-and-white reproductions of photomicrographs and indicated reoviral protein positive areas in tumor sections, and the sections were counter-stained with hematoxylin (upper panel). The paraffin sections of hearts from reovirus-injected mice were analyzed by H&E staining. Extensive necrotic lesions (arrows) are shown in cardiac myocytes of the wild-type reovirus-injected mice (lower panel) but were absent from attenuated reovirus-injected animals (lower panel, Av reo).

Example 5—Sequence Information

Genbank Accession numbers of Mammalian Reovirus type 1, 2, 3 S1 genes: AY860061 (Our AV Virus), AY862134, AY302467, NC_004264, NC_004267, XO1161, U74293, U74292, U74291, NC_004277, L37682, L37683, L37684, L37681, L37680, L37679, L37678, L37677, L37676, L37675, M14779, M10262, AH002408, J02326, J02325, M35964, AH002407, J02310, J02309, M35963, AH002406, J02302, J02301, U53415, U53414, U53413, U53412, U53411, U53410, U53409, M10261,

All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

REFERENCES

The references listed below are incorporated herein by reference to the extent that they supplement, explain, provide a background for, or teach methodology, techniques, and/or compositions employed herein.

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The invention claimed is:
 1. An attenuated reovirus, comprising a reovirus genome that comprises a modification in the wild-type S1 gene, wherein the modification is selected from (a) a deletion of a nucleotide at nucleotide sequence position 26 of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:10; (b) a mutation at nucleotide sequence position 359 of SEQ ID NO: 9 or SEQ ID NO:10; (c) a mutation at nucleotide sequence position 392 of SEQ ID NO: 9 or SEQ ID NO:10; (d) a mutation at nucleotide sequence position 763 of SEQ ID NO: 9 or SEQ ID NO:10; and (e) a mutation at nucleotide sequence position 912 of SEQ ID NO: 9 or SEQ ID NO:10, wherein the mutation at nucleotide sequence position 912 causes a substitution of isoleucine to methionine in the corresponding amino acid sequence.
 2. The attenuated reovirus of claim 1, wherein the modification is the deletion of a nucleotide at nucleotide sequence position 26 of SEQ ID NO: 9 or SEQ ID NO:10.
 3. The attenuated reovirus of claim 1, wherein the modification is the mutation at nucleotide sequence position 359 of SEQ ID NO: 9 or SEQ ID NO:10.
 4. The attenuated reovirus of claim 3, wherein the mutation at nucleotide sequence position 359 causes a substitution of lysine to proline in the corresponding amino acid sequence.
 5. The attenuated reovirus of claim 1, wherein the modification is the mutation at nucleotide sequence position 392 of SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:10.
 6. The attenuated reovirus of claim 5, wherein the mutation at nucleotide sequence position 392 causes a substitution of valine to alanine in the corresponding amino acid sequence.
 7. The attenuated reovirus of claim 1, wherein the modification is the mutation at nucleotide sequence position 763 of SEQ ID NO: 9 or SEQ ID NO:10.
 8. The attenuated reovirus of claim 7, wherein the mutation at nucleotide sequence position 763 causes a substitution of glutamine to a stop codon in the corresponding amino acid sequence. 